These archives contain posts from the UK Midwives and Consumers email list, a discussion group for people interested in midwifery in the UK. All are welcome to join the group. Posts in these archives express the views of the individual authors, and not those of the Association of Radical Midwives.
05 Oct 2005
I work in the greater London area. The way I have been 'taught' and the way
that we do it where I have been working is that the 'symphysis-fundal height'
'should' measure in cms. the same number as the weeks of your gestation + or
- 2 cms.example: 28+ weeks 'should measure' from 26 to 30 (or slightly more
than 30) cms. Fundal height is not proven to be accurate as some women will
'carry their baby' in a way that you get measurements smaller than these, yet
the baby is of perfectly 'average' weight. We are told to explain this to women
and we can offer them a scan to check on baby's growth. Often baby is fine,
sometimes we pick up babies who are 'too small' and 'may' have a problem.I always
make sure women know that often is no fuss and that occasionally we may pick
up something and they can decide on what they want to do next (taking into consideration
other factors related to their medical history and pregnancy so far)
J
LW updated February 9, 2006